The present invention relates to a passenger leg protection apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting legs of a passenger in a high-speed moving body such as a vehicle by inflating an airbag, so-called knee-bag or knee-airbag, at a position in front of the legs in case of collision of the vehicle or the like.
As a passenger leg protection apparatus, it is well known that an airbag device is installed in an interior member of a vehicle in front of a seat at a level corresponding to lower legs of a passenger, and an airbag is inflated upon collision of the vehicle to receive the legs, especially, portions under knees, of the passenger. This type of passenger leg protection apparatus includes a folded airbag, a case for accommodating the airbag, a gas generator for inflating the airbag, and a lid member for covering a front face of the case or the like.
A method of folding the airbag of the passenger leg protection apparatus has not been widely disclosed. A method of folding an airbag for quickly expanding and deploying the airbag sideways is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 05-208648. This publication relates to a passenger leg protection apparatus installed at positions shifted leftward or rightward from the front of the legs of the passenger.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger leg protection apparatus to be disposed in front of the legs of the passenger in which the airbag is deployed smoothly upward or downward along the legs of the passenger.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.